The ancient city of Petra

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We got into Amman this afternoon - 2.5 hours on the very straight and dull Desert Highway.

We have had 3 fantastic days in Petra, the site of the famous salmon-coloured sandstone Treasury building which is on just about every piece of tourist literature related to Jordan. I certainly didn't know what to expect from Petra apart from having seen pictures of the Treasury building but a visit to Petra is much more than just a visit to an ancient monument like the Pyramids in Giza or the Coliseum in Rome, where the whole point is to go and view the monument.

The monuments in Petra are sited within a collection of wadis (valleys) and rocky gorges so the surroundings are as much a draw card as the monuments. We spent many hours doing very enjoyable short treks to see some of the more out of the way tombs and structures. The walk approaching the city, called the Sidq, is possibly one of the more memorable things I've ever done. One is swallowed by a narrow rocky gorge with high walls smoothed by years of having water channel through it in the rainy seasons. This walk winds around for maybe 1km and you will see the most fantastic colours on the sandstone; chocolate, custard, currypowder and salmon as Edward Lear's cook was thought to have written in his memoirs.

There are some ancient worship sites along the walk from the time of the original inhabitants, the Nabateans, but they are mostly water and weather worn (personally we couldn't tell a deity from a lump of rock) and there is also some original stone paving from when the Romans tookover the city. Just when you think how fantastic it all is, you see, in the crack between the two walls of the gorge, this amazing salmon-coloured (or rose red as the romantically inclined would say) building complete with corinthian pillars, looking just a tad out of place in the dusty basin.

The Bedouin of the Bdul tribe have been here since the Romans moved out, and used to live in the many cave tombs littered around Petra until about 1985 when the government built them a new settlement complete with housing, about 5km away. They still have the right to come and go as they like and they run all the businesses within - horse/camel/donkey rides, restaurants, souvenir shops, etc. Some still live partime in the caves and many young Bdul we spoke to preferred sleeping out in the open but admitting to going home to their concrete blocks for showers!

One amazing thing about Petra is that there isn't an official closing time and on our second day, we were able to stay well past sunset, after the stars and the moon was out. The Bedouin are incredibly friendly, and this being the low season, many of them will extend an invitation to any stragglers to take tea with them and have a bit of chat. They will also invite you to stay with them in the caves if you don't mind sleeping rough. Many a young woman has been seduced by handsome Bedouin tribesmen this way. One of them told us that amongst his relations were an English woman, a kiwi, and even a woman from Hong Kong. I can't imagine what would compel anyone to want to live in a cave. Not I.

Rob and I had a nice if somewhat eerie moonlit walk through the Sidq on our way out. It was perfectly safe of course as the Bedouin practically self-police the area after hours and many just leave their shops with their goods still laid out.

We probably won't be lingering in Amman for too long but are thinking of a possible day excursion to the Dead Sea or to Mardaba which is said to have some fabulous Byzantine mosaics. Damascus will be our next destination. God willing things will be a bit calmer when we get in. But as per our earlier blog, we see no need to change our original travel plans for now.

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Photos

The Treasury, Petra
This is the first monument you come across after the long walk down the Sidq. Not too shabby, eh?

Bedouin Police Officer
Rob: Nice uniform
KP: Cute boy

The Treasury - again
One can never get enough of this building

Comments

[James]

very nıce
It was great runnıng ınto you guys contınually through Jordan and Syrıa, and sharıng storıes of mıddle eastern travel and culture. Im sorry I dıdnt get a chance to say goodbye, I lost you ın one of Damascus covered souqs - keep up the great photography and enjoy the rest of your trıp. www.worldwıdewanderer.org

[Pearly & Jing]

Hi pal, you looked tired in the photo. Pearly and I are having a good time in Hong Kong now. She is enjoying her pear while I am busy typing you this note in her somewhat cold apt now. Guess the temperature in HK today is below 20 degrees. Better than your side there?

[maria]

seven wondre of the worlds
petra is such a awesome ancient city.It is unvolivable.

[Javaid Toosy]

Before the Noah's Ark
The city of petra is of anti devillian period which cant be understood by the scholars.look at the shaft grounded with metriologically accurate to tenth places of decimal, which can only be made by monsters not by humans. The techniques are not available in the remote past. If you go through my Book "Tufaan -E- Naoh say Pehaly" available at Ferozesons The Mall Lahore Pakistan priec $5, you may come across some evidence about this civilization. javaid Toosy 0923004375714